


Bumblebee

by ManlyQuail



Series: Bumblebee [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Bumblebee - Freeform, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-03
Updated: 2018-04-03
Packaged: 2019-04-17 16:36:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14193156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ManlyQuail/pseuds/ManlyQuail
Summary: Team RWBY has just suffered from the fall of the Beacon Tower. The girls have been separated upon reaching the city based on their medical needs at the time. Yang is laying in a room alone while Blake is treated for the stab wound. While Ruby remains unconscious, Weiss has been cleared for leave and taken back to Atlas by her father. Upon awakening, Blake struggles to get up and check on the members of her team, but with Ruby asleep and Weiss already gone, she is left to mourn their losses alone with Yang. The pair recognize the reality of the world, and how everything can vanish in a second, sharing their feelings with one another as the sun sets.





	Bumblebee

Flashes of light burst around her. She struggles to keep her eyes open, but the darkness is enveloping her senses. Muffled noises, screams and yells of human, faunus, and grimm alike. In the darkness she sees her friend, on the ground in pain. A masked man stands over her, standing out in the darkness with a white grimm mask. He smirks as they make eye contact, and he turns back to the girl beneath him, driving a blade into her side. Slowly he pulls the blade back out, and while sheathing it he turns to her, the new arrival, who screams. The darkness around her recedes against her rage. As her hair sprays out in glowing golden strands, she charges forward in a fury. She swings out, but was surprised that no contact was made as her momentum flings her past him. In that instant, faster than she could see, he had drawn his blade. She felt disconnected, like something was wrong, and for a brief moment could see her own arm drifting away from her body. "No way..." She crumpled to the ground, and the darkness took her.

\---

Blake woke up, and for a brief moment was numb, almost happy. On reflex she stretched out, and in that instant, the pain and trauma of the previous few days rushed back to her as her side screamed out. Blinking she lifted the covers slightly, and could see gauze had been wrapped around her waist. Something had ripped open when she stretched, and crimson began to stain the bandages.

"Now now, that won't do. I can't have my patients constantly reopening their wounds." A redheaded women approached, and the color of her hair struck another brief cord, causing Blake to flinch again. Even before the chaos took the school, they'd lost a friend. Her eyes turned glossy as the memory took over. "I'm going to have to check this wound again, see if you tore the stitches or not." Blake turned away and tried to get out of the bed, but the pain slowed her movements. The doctor shook her head, pushing Blake back down, and as much as she tried, Blake lacked the strength to fight back. Still though, there was no reason for her to stay. She would be fine, and had no desire to be a burden, but the doctor wouldn't let her go. As Blake finally lay still, the doctor began to unravel the bandages around her waist.

"What happened, how is everyone? Did everyone make it?" Blake faced the doctor, if she was going to be kept here she could at least get answers. She almost couldn't find the ability to stop asking questions once she'd started, there was so much she needed to be sure of.

The doctor's face gave way to emotion for a second, and she paused, bandages only partly unraveled, before adjusting her glasses and smiling back. The pain was still in her green eyes, but she simply shook her head as she continued to unravel the bandages. Blake looked away again, the reaction telling her all she needed to know, and tears began to well. It was all her fault; this was because of the White Fang. If she has been stronger, if there was more she had done, maybe lives could have been saved. Maybe she could have saved the people of Vale, the other students at the school. Maybe she could have saved her friends.

"Where is she? I have to know!" The door slammed open and medical personnel rushed to block the intruder. A few other patients lifted their heads, Blake caught a glimpse of Nora and Ren across the medical room, their beds on either side of one another. They were looking towards the ruckus, bandaged and confused.

"Mr. Arc, you've already been treated for your wounds, and your aura will keep you sustained. This room is only for those injuries that need extra medical help, please get out." The doctor assisting Blake had approached Jaune, and was attempting to push him out. He struggled hard, looking around the room in a panic. He looked to Nora and Ren, with almost a crazed smile as he started yelling to them.

"She made it back right? Nora? Ren? Where's Pyrrha! I can't find her anywhere!" Blake turned to face the two, concern sweeping over her, and their expressions told the entire story as they each looked away, Nora bit her lip, fighting back tears. Jaune stopped struggling, as did those trying to restrain him, and everyone seemed to freeze.

"It was only rumors, but...I heard she didn't make it back." Ren turned back to face Jaune, speaking firmly, and Blake felt another pang in her heart. She had been out for so long she hadn't had time to hear about who all had made it. Glancing around there was also no sign Ruby, Yang, or even Weiss.

"But...she said. Ruby said she was going to save her..." He stood, completely stunned. There was a long period of time where everyone remained at a standstill, and the pain between all of them only seemed to grow as the seconds ticked on. The doctor adjusted her glasses again and put a hand on Jaune.

"I understand. It's a time of war, and loved ones can be lost, however it is our job to make sure we don't lose anyone else. There is a time to grieve, but now is a time to heal. Now, I'm going to ask you again to please leave, as your presence is only disturbing my patients." The personnel went to remove him, but he shook his head, turned around, and walked out. Blake could feel tears welling up again, and glancing across the room could see Ren and Nora still fighting back tears of their own. She lay back in exhaustion, and was unconscious once more.

\---

"There's my girl." Yang woke up in a cold sweat. The events of the past had been haunting her all night, her dreams constantly fighting an unwinnable battle. When she finally came to the world was blinding, and while it stung briefly, it was very much welcome compared to the darkness she'd been left in. Standing over her was her father, a man she hadn't seen since leaving for Beacon earlier that year.

"Dad...I..." She went to reach for him, to try and embrace him. He was a light in a time she needed it, but that light simply wasn't bright enough. The darkness crept back up and she turned away, and glanced at where her arm had once been by her side. "I tried. I did, but I lost. I couldn't do anything." She clenched her first, and his hand covered it.

"Yang, it's alright. It's over now, the fight is done. The most you can do is rest, and be thankful you lived to fight another day." She turned to his smile, and was surprised to see it genuine. Her fist unclenched, her body loosened up, and he pulled her into a hug.

"How is everyone. I mean...is everyone else okay?" He turned away as his brow furrowed, going over how to answer the question. "What about Ruby? How's Ruby!" Yang struggled to sit up but her father simply leaned her back down.

"Your sister is fine, everyone else from your team is fine, but Blake is taking a little longer to recover. The wound she suffered was deep, but Doctor Crim is a professional. She won't let anyone die on her watch." Yang winced and he bit his tongue, realizing he'd used a bad choice of words. "They're all recovering nicely, and that is what you need to focus on too. She said your wound was practically healed when you got here, just needed some bandages and wash to keep it from getting infected." His grin managed to make her feel better, and knowing her team was still alive was good news, but she still couldn't feel happy.

"What about the other teams? Team SSSN, or CFVY, what about JNPR?" She began to struggle again, but he pushed against her, this time looking stern. Yang knew not to try and resist again, and she slumped back against the pillows.

"Yang, I understand how you feel. I do, I've been here before, but you need to calm down. There's nothing that you can do now except rest, and I'm not going to let you leave this bed until you're feeling better. As for the other teams, well most of them came out fine. Team JNPR, well..." A knock came at the door, and Qrow could be seen standing in the doorway, leaning with a grim expression.

"Hey, we need to talk about our next move." Yang glanced around her father's shoulder to see Qrow holding a cane. She recognized it, but couldn't remember where she'd seen it before.

"Ah, alright." Taiyang stood and let out a sigh. "Guess this was a long time coming. I'll be back as soon as I can Yang." She frowned as he kissed her forehead, before smiling and exiting past Qrow, who stood for another few moments looking down the hall.

"Uncle Qrow, I need you to tell me." She clenched her fist, and stared at him, a fire in her eyes. "What happened."

"Your father is too soft on you kids." He stepped in and closed the door behind him. Leaning the cane against the wall, he pulled a chair next to her bed and sat down facing her. He looked serious, and Yang braced herself for the worst. "We never wanted any of this to impact you kids, at least not before you were ready, but obviously the enemy didn't feel like waiting. However, I need you to promise me that no matter what I tell you, you will remain calm. You've already lost an arm, and while I don't know the circumstances, I do know you. I can't have you flying off the handle and losing anything else because of something I said, do you understand?" Yang took a deep breath, her fist unclenching again

"I'm ready. I promise I won't do anything rash." Yang stared right into his eyes as she said it, and they maintained that stare for a long time before he broke it off with a sign.

"Alright well, I think the first thing you need to know is that everyone that survived is going to make it. You're a strong bunch of kids, I'll give you that much. Ruby is still unconscious, but should wake up any day, and as for Weiss, I don't imagine you'll be seeing her anytime soon." Yang made a motion to interject but he silenced her and lifted his hand. "Ah ah, let me finish before you say anything." She pursed her lips, but nodded.

"Weiss has gone back to Atlas with her father. He came while you were out, and as soon as she was cleared medically to leave, he took off with her in a ship back to their home. As for those who were unfortunate not to make it out, the girl Penny, and Pyrrha Nikos from Team JNPR are both gone." Yang's fist clenched again, as tears of pain and anger welled up. "I don't know the details exactly, but when they recovered your sister, they also found the circlet that Pyyrha wore on her head."

"I can't believe it..." Yang's head seemed to droop, and Qrow gave her a moment before continuing.

"That's not all." He stood up, crossed the room to the cane and brought it back to her. "Ozpin is missing too. Your friend Jaune said that the last time he saw him, Ozpin was fighting what we believe to be the one leading the attack, a women named Cinder. Neither of their whereabouts are known at the moment, but we are looking." Qrow walked around the bed to the window and peered out to the sunny day outside. "You'd hardly believe that we just gone done fighting a war."

"But we're not done. Not even close! All of those lives lost, and all for nothing!" Yang slammed her fist on the table beside her bed, shaking the few things strewn atop it, and Qrow turned and glared down at her.

"Never say those words." Yang looked at him bewildered. "The lives lost during that battle were not for nothing. Every person that fought was fighting to save something, or someone precious. I can only assume that's how you got your injury. Not everyone can come away as lucky as you. Not everyone can come away a survivor." He motioned to Yang's missing arm, which she covered using her hand, before looking away.

"He was trying to kill Blake. Some white fang member with an incredibly long sword. I remember charging him, he'd just hurt her and I just blanked out, and then I felt the pain. Everything was shaky, and I felt Blake carry me out, but then it was all dark." She moved her hand away and seemed to sink down into the bed. "He reminded me of mom..."

"What was that?" Qrow's brow furrowed as he resumed his seat next to Yang, who looked up, all anger replaced by sadness.

"His mask, it wasn't like the plain ones that the other White Fang were wearing. It had red markings across it and it just reminded me of Mom's is all." Qrow shook his head and laughed.

"If this fellow was anything like my sister you'd have come away with far more lost than just an arm. It's probably just how their soldiers distinguish their leaders, makes them stand out."

"But then why..."

"My sister...your mother, like I've told you before shares some very unique views I myself don't share. What she does is none of my business, and how she dresses is up to her. Now we've had our talk, and remember the promise you made." Qrow stood up and twirled the cane. "There's a lot going on in this world, and when your time to fight comes again, I want you to be ready. Stay strong kid." With that Qrow gave her one last smile, and Yang looked towards the setting sun, let out a sigh, and rolled back under the covers.

\---

"Can I go yet? I've been in here all day, the wound has gotten better and my aura is plenty recovered." Blake sat up, ensuring her bow stayed tied. The nurse had removed it when she first arrived, and Blake had been so caught up in recent events she completely forgot about it.

"Well, I suppose you plan on leaving the next time I turn my back anyways. I hear you're quite the sneaky one Miss Belladona." Doctor Crim looked over a clipboard of notes and frowned. "I guess I have no real medical reason to keep you here. Personally I'd rather you stayed in bed at least another day, but as long as you promise not to start any intense training right away, I suppose you're free..." Blake was out of the bed and out the door in an instant. "...to go. Kids these days, always in a hurry."

Blake immediately began to scour the building. Checking room after room, she didn't feel like she had the time to stop and ask for directions, and everyone looked so busy coping with recent events. Eventually she almost slammed into Qrow who was closing a door behind him.

"Oh, ah excuse me." Blake went to side step him, but he stuck out a hand to block her. "You're one of Ruby's friends right? Blake if I recall, I've heard stories, dark and moody..." Blake shot him a cold look and he put his hands up defensively. "There were good things too. A loyal friend, a fierce fighter. Anyways, if you're looking for your teammates, Ruby is inside. She's still out, but she's alright. Yang is just down the hall and Weiss...well her father took her almost as quickly as she got here. They're headed to Atlas, but they're all safe."

"That's...fantastic news. Thank you." Blake bowed, feeling somewhat guilty about staring him down moments ago, and Qrow opened the door enough for her to peer inside. Sure enough, Ruby was passed out in a bed, but looked otherwise unharmed. Best to let her sleep. "And Yang, how is she doing?"

"She's...alive." Qrow frowned slightly and then shook it off to a smile. "She's a strong girl. Yang will be back on her feet in no time, and last I checked she was still awake if you wanted to go see her. I tried talking to her, but I think what she really needs right now is a friend to talk to. You both do. I'll tell you the same thing I told her though, don't go flying off the handle. This is a time of war, something we adults have experience with, and I can tell you, going off on your own can only lead to more problems. I know my nieces, and from what I've heard Team RWBY isn't exactly keen on following the rules. Just be safe, take this time to recover, there's more battles to fight down the road." Qrow closed the door to Ruby's room and patted Blake on the head, his smile feeling genuine. Blake smiled back and nodded, before running down the hall he'd indicated in search of Yang.

After a few turns, several wrong rooms, and almost knocking over a small child, Blake found herself opening the door belonging to Yang. Her golden hair, usually radiating with power, seemed almost dim in the darkness of the room. She'd turned the light out and appeared to be asleep, the sun setting as the light left their surroundings. Blake crept in slowly, closing the door silently behind herself, and moved the chair away from Yang's bed. Blake stood over Yang for a few moments, and her heart sank as she looked at the wound. Even with all this time, the memory seemed still so fresh. A rage had entered Yang, and just as quickly it had vanished. The wound caused by Adam, the wound caused by Blake being weak...Tears filled her eyes as she sat next to the bed, and took Yang's open hand with her own. All she could do was mutter 'I'm sorry' into the bed before drifting off herself.

\---

Yang woke with a start. Her breathing fast, she felt sweat on her body, as if she'd just been in that fight all over again. Turning her head she looked at the wound, a habit she'd developed quickly in the few days since it had happened. Her aura had saved her from excessive bleeding, but it couldn't repair the damage. Nothing could. It was a reality she was having trouble accepting, as if it wasn't real. If she closed her eyes, she felt that she could still reach out and touch it.

As she tried to lift her hand however, she felt something keeping it down. Yang turned to see what was grasping her palm, and found Blake sleeping next to her, legs on the ground, and head on the bed. Her eyes were wet, cheeks red, as if she had been crying. Yang knew Blake, knew how this injury made her feel. More than likely Blake was taking responsibility. If she hadn't been in that position, if Yang hadn't tried to save her.

However, Yang wouldn't accept those excuses. She would have gladly given up even more to save her friend. Still, deep down she wished she didn't have to. The same pain Blake must have been feeling, not being strong enough, Yang felt it more. Being unable to save yourself was one thing, but not being able to save your friends was a different sort of pain. She squeezed Blake's hands and turned to look out the window. The sun had set completely, she'd woken up from a nightmare at some odd hour in the morning.

Blake muttered something and lifted her head. Yang turned and smiled weakly, Blake smiled back, before sadness returned.

"Yang, I'm..."

"Don't, I already know what you're going to say, and you're wrong. This isn't your fault. It's nobody's fault." Yang gave her a stare, it wasn't meant to be mean or intimidating, but a confidence in her own statement. "We tried to fight, and weren't strong enough. That's all there is to it."

Yang squeezed tighter onto Blake's hands, but Blake's grip had loosened as she tried to pull away.

"It was my fight, if I hadn't just attacked Adam..." Yang pulled Blake's hands back and continued to stare.

"Nobody's fault." She squeezed tighter, and Blake began to fumble for words as tears began to well up. After a few moments of struggle, Blake sighed and feigned a smile, squeezing back.

"Right, nobody's fault..." She didn't mean the words, but Yang wasn't going to stand down. Blake desperately wanted to believe the words, believe in Yang's confidence, but belief wouldn't change the reality of the situation.

Yang studied her expression for a few moments. She didn't believe that Blake shared her view, but it was the best she was going to get. The last thing she wanted to do at this point in time was fight with a friend. Loosening her grip, Yang let out a sigh and looked down to what was left of her arm.

"We really got torn up didn't we. Still though, I must've killed at least a hundred grimm." Yang tried to smile, tried to make light of the situation, and while they both still hurt, Blake managed to crack at least part of a real smile. She pulled a hand free and wiped her eyes.

"Yeah, but I hear Ruby took out the big one. Or at least...stopped it." Blake let out a chuckle, Yang smiled and nodded.

"Pretty embarrassing, losing to my sister like that and all." They both laughed, only partway real, but it made both of them feel better. "Get up here, sitting on the floor can't be comfortable."

Yang awkwardly wiggled herself to the other side of the bed, and Blake crawled up beside her. They sat together, staring out at the stars, both unsure of what to say next. Silence was somewhat comfortable, but their minds were both running nonstop. Neither of them was particularly tired at this point, and so they just sat, hands connected, staring into the night.

"His name is Adam. He's someone from my past." Blake broke the silence, and awkward as it was to say, she had to say something. She felt as though she owed Yang an explanation. Yang winced a little at hearing the name, but settled down and turned to Blake.

"So that's the name of the guy who..." Yang bit her lip and glanced at her bandages.

"Yes, and he didn't used to be like that, I promise you. We were...close" It was Blake's turn to look down in sadness, and Yang looked up with concern.

"If you were so close, then why was he trying to kill you?" She squeezed Blake's hand, probably a little tighter than she should have, and her hair began to illuminate the room.

"I don't know! He used to be so kind, we fought for peace but one day...a woman came along. She wanted us to work together, she promised us we could get equality, but the things she wanted us to do, the things we did do..." Blake trailed off, lost in some dark memory, and Yang loosened her grip, took her hand from Blake's and brushed her black hair aside.

"I think I get it now." Yang smiled gently, and Blake just shook her head, tears welling up.

"This was never meant to go this far. He's turned into a monster, and all he wants to do is hurt everything I love. Everyone I love..." Blake looked into Yang's eyes for a long time, and they shared a painful stare.

"You're not responsible for all the terrible things he's done Blake. I want you to know that. That blood is on his hands. This blood, is on his hands. Not yours, okay?" Yang lifted her right arm, what remained of it, and pain shot through Blake, who immediately looked away.

"I know, I mean, if I had been able to convince him back then." Yang turned Blake's head, forcing her to face Yang. Her eyes had changed, a fierceness in them, confidence and determination.

"We all have a past, and not everyone has a good one. For all I know, my mother is working with the White Fang." Blake looked bewildered, went to say something, but Yang spoke over her. "That doesn't mean that we have to face our demons alone though. We have a team now, and together we can fight these problems, take care of each other."

Blake sat there, mulling over these ideas for a long time. This was twice now Yang had turned incredibly serious on her, and something about the fire in her eyes was giving Blake her own determination. In that moment, she made a decision, one that her team wouldn't agree with, but it was something she knew only she could do. She appreciated everything Yang had to offer, but the more they fought together, the more her friends got hurt. Nobody else would get hurt, or worst, die, for the sins of her past. So she smiled.

"Thank you, so much for everything you've done Yang. It's been too long since I felt like I belonged anywhere. Even among the other students I felt like an outcast." Blake lifted her hands and undid the bow, her purple cat ears twitched as the air flowed over them. "With you though, you and your sister have just been so welcoming, and even Weiss accepted me when she found out the truth. You guys mean so much to me that I..."

"Stop talking." Blake froze for a moment, and Yang's hand, still outstretched, pulled her face to hers. Their lips connected, and Blake sat in shock for a moment, before the warmth between them snapped her out of the trance. She closed her eyes, a for a moment all of her problems, all of her worries disappeared. A connection she never thought she could feel again emerged. Yang pulled back, scarlet, and pursed her lips. "Too cheesy?"

"Uhh...cheesy?" Blake blinked a few times, still in shock, and Yang shook her head. "I mean what was that...?"

"Nothing, I saw that in a movie once. It just seemed like the right thing to do, y'know?" Yang let out a sigh and looked out the window. "Impulsive right? I've never really been into planning things out, so if that was a mistake I understand, I just needed to let you know how I felt. I know you're probably not into the whole relationship thing, and to be honest I'm not really sure how I feel about it either. These past few days though, they've given me a true appreciation for the people that are in my life. So even if it's just tonight, will you stay with me?" Yang turned and looked at Blake, who was still processing these events, but eventually, returned a smile.

"There's nowhere else in the world I would rather be right now." Blake leaned in, and they shared another kiss, before they lay back in the bed and stared out at the stars, eventually drifting off to sleep together.

\---

The night passed without incident. All the dreams and anxieties of the past few days seemed to have faded away, and they were left with smiles while the moon and its fragments passed over them. Blake awoke first, she was sensitive to the sunrise, and for a few moments she simply smiled, thinking over the previous night. The kiss was a surprise, she hadn't been prepared for it, but it felt right. This connection was something she needed in her messed up life, and it only instilled her with more confidence for what was to come. She knew Yang wouldn't approve, in fact, none of them would, but Blake had to deal with this. Nobody else would get hurt for her sake.

Blake stood up and began to gather her things. Her weapon, placed against the wall, and for a long time she stared at Yang. She would miss her, but best case scenario, they'd see each other in a brighter future. Blake took her bow from the table and began to tie it over her ears before opening the door to leave.

"Please be safe, and come back to us Blake." Yang had rolled over, and Blake knew if she looked back, if she looked into her eyes, she wouldn't be able to will herself to leave.

"I will." That was all she said. Blake closed the door behind her, and Yang let out a defeated sigh. In the end, Blake was going to do this without her. Yang clutched her chest, her heart ached, the moment they had shared only seemed to increase the weight of the pain. She rolled over and cried herself back to sleep.

A few hours passed and Sun knocked at the door. Yang sat up, the false hope that Blake may have returned extinguished immediately.

"Hey, I just wanted to check on you. Make sure you're alright." Yang shook her head and turned away, laying with her back to the door. "Listen, I just wanted to stop by to let you know your sister is awake again. I heard her dad talking to her."

"Is that all you need to tell me?" She spoke with a degree of venom, and still wouldn't face him. He didn't deserve her spite, she didn't care.

"Well, I also wanted to ask if you knew where Blake was going. It's only been a day, but I saw her take off. She wouldn't stop when I called to her, she just vanished." Yang rolled over, and looked at the worry in his eyes. He cared about her too, so it was only natural.

"I don't know where she went, she didn't tell me either. If this is something she feels she has to do, run off and leave us again, then I say let her. It's not our problem." Yang rolled over again, away from him, frustrated. She wanted to mean the words she was saying, she wanted to not care, but she couldn't. Her only hope was that if she said it enough, she could believe it.

"We both know you don't mean that. I'm sorry she did this, but hating her won't bring her back." Sun shook his head and punched the wall. He didn't expect to get so angry so quickly, but her attitude surprised him. "She's your teammate and your friend. Remember that." He practically slammed the door behind him, leaving Yang to brood. She quickly turned gloomy, unsure if she was more angry at Blake, or at herself.

Yang simply continued to stare out the window. Every shadow that moved caught her eye, and she tormented herself, knowing that Blake wouldn't be coming back, but looking for her anyways. More time passed and she heard her door open.

"Yang?" It was Ruby. She was still in a foul mood, and as glad as she was to hear her sister's voice, she had no desire to talk. She could hear her sister turn to leave, but this was no way to treat her.

"Ruby..."

**Author's Note:**

> This is taken from my Wattpad account MajestyRaven and has been moved to AO3 for a better interface and system. This story takes place immediately following the end of Volume 3. I do my best to try and stick to the canon, although some assumptions and such are made in order to make the story as realistic as possible.


End file.
